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(No Model.)

W. J. HOWEY. ELECTRIC DETECTING APPARATUS FOR COIN AUTUATED BOXES.

No. 420,070. Patented Jan. 28, 1890.

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PATENT FFICE.. 7

WILLIAM J. HOWEY, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC DETECTING APPARATUS FOR COIN-ACTUATED BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,070, dated January28, 1890.

Application filed September 5, 1889. Serial No. 323,076. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. l-IOWEY, of the city and county of NewYork, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in ElectricDetecting Apparatus for Coin- Actuated Boxes, of which the following isa specification.

My invention has reference to detecting-indicators foropera-glass-dispensing boxes adapted for use in theaters; and itconsists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in thefollowing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, whichform a part thereof.

Various methods have been employed for loaning opera-glasses to personsin the audience upon the deposition of a given piece of money, which, bymeans of suitable devices, operate alock to release the cover of thereceptacle containing the glasses, and such glasses have been usuallyconnected to the box by means of a chain. Vhen not connected, they wereliable to be stolen; but when connected the chain was always consideredan objectionable feature.

My invention is designed to overcome the existing objections as faras'possible by providing unobtrusive means to connect the opera-glasseswith the receptacle, and also suitable mechanism to indicate at theoffice or at some particular place whether or not any of theopera-glasses have been freed or disconnected from the retaining-guardby which they are connected to the box.

In carrying out my invention I provide the box with a flexible electricguard or cord of any suitable construction inclosing within twoinsulated wires, which encircle some permanent part of the opera-glassesin the form of a loop. These wires may be very fine or composed of aseries of hair-wires twisted to- I gether constitutingwhat'iscommonlyknown as flexible conductors. These wires at a point within thebox are connected to outgoing and return conductors extending preferablybelow the floor of the theater, and including a battery andelectro-magnet, which latter is located at some distant place, and isadapted to operate an indicator. All of the circuits from the variousboxes meet in the same indicator, and an observer before the saidindicator can by a glance ascertain at once whether or not any of theopera-glasses have been severed from the electric guard or cord, and ifso which onethat is, from what seat of the theater such opera-glass hasbeen removed. By this means it is evident that the connecting guard orcord between the opera-glasses and the box might be very small and unobjectionable, and yet the proprietor of the glasses need have less fear ofthe glasses being successfully stolen than if a heavy and more bulkychain were employed.

In practice but a single battery is employed for all the circuits of thebuilding. The coin-actuated box has its function in preventing access tothe glasses until after the deposition of the paratus directlyconstituting my invention.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modified construction of guards and cords at thelooped ends; and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the box for theoperaglasses, with the door open and the guard of the opera-glasses cutoff. I

A are the seats.

B are the coin-actuated boxes in which the opera-glasses are placed. 7

G are the opera-glasses.

H are the electric guards or cords leading to the glasses and extendingfrom the interior of the box, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. This guard orcord consists of any flexible covering and two insulated wires 71, whichare looped at their outer ends around the crossbar g of theopera-glasses, as shownin' Fig. 2.

The guards or cords I term electric guards or cords, because they conveycurrent, and also mechanically act as a guard or retainingcord.

In Figs. 3 and 4 are shown modified constructions of this guard or cord.In Fig. 3 it consists of an insulated wire looped and] twisted uponitself, while in Fig. 4 an insuraised, by a lock I, operated by means ofa coin deposited in its upper portion. After op- V crating the lock thecoin drops into the drawer J.

K is the interior chamber of the box, in which the opera-glasses areplaced, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and are held thereinuntil the door is liberated by the deposition of the money and theoperation of the handle z. The wires h of the guard or cord II connect,respectively, with the supplyconductor 0 and the return-conductor D. Inthe supply-conductor C is located a battery E and a switch 6 for puttingthe battery in or out of circuit. The distant ends of the circuits C andD include an electro-magnet L, which attracts an armature M'against theac; tion of the spring 'm and actuates a long arm N and anindicator-plate n, carried thereby. Arranged in front of theindicator-plate m is a rigid plate 0, having perforations or openings P.When the armature M is attracted by the magnet, it lowers the plates n,so that they are not seen from the front of the indicator F. However, ifthe circuit C D is broken by severing the guard H, then the spring mwithdraws the armature M, and the arm N lifts the plate it into positionin line with the opening P in the plate 0, exposing the numher or markarranged upon the face of the plate 11, and thereby indicating to themanager or person in charge which opera-glass has been severed from itsconnection with the box.

In practice, the circuit 0 would be provided with branches 0, leading tothe various boxes, as indicated in Fig. 1; but each of said boxes wouldhave to have its own return-wire D. In the same manner all of thevarious electromagnets L would have one terminal connected with the saidcircuits 0, whereas their other terminals would be connected to thedifferent boxes. I

It is immaterial to my invention what particular construction ofcoin-actuated boxes is employed or what particular construction ofindicator is used, as it is evident that a variety of forms might beused, all of which would embody the same general features. I thereforedo notlimit myself to the exact construction herein set out, as the samemay be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a coin-actuated box with a pair of opera-glassesand a connecting flexible electric guard or cord containing a conductorand connecting said glasses to said box, and an electric indicator incircuit with said conductor.

2. The combination of a coin-actuated box with a pair of opera-glassesand a connecting flexible electric guard or cord containing a conductorand connecting said glasses to the interior of said box through thedoorway for the passage of the glasses, whereby both the guard andglasses may be readily inserted or removed from the box, and an electricindicator in circuit with said conductor.

3. The combination of a pair of operaglasses, an electric indicator, anelectric circuit including the indicator and encircling a portion of theopera-glasses, so as not to be detachable without cutting the circuit,and a source of electric energy in said circuit.

4. The combination of a pair of operaglasses, an electric indicator, anelectric circuit including the indicator and encircling a portion of theopera-glasses, so as not to be detachable without cutting the circuit, aswitch for opening or closing the circuit, and a source of electricenergy in said circuit.

5. The combination of a chair, an indicator located at a distance fromsaid chair, fixed circuits leading from the indicator to the chair, asource of electric energy in said circuits, a pair of opera-glasses, anda flexible electrical connection between the two circuits, terminatingin the chair and inclosing a fixed portion of the opera-glasses.

6. The combination of a coin-actuated box, a pair of opera-glassesconnected thereto by a flexible electric conductor, an electricindicator, a circuit leading from the conductor at the box to theindicator, and a source of electric energy for said circuit.

7. The combination of a coin-actuated box, a pair of opera-glassesremovable therefrom, a flexible guard or cord conneotin g the glasses tothe box, provided with an outgoing and return circuit, and electricapparatus for indicating when said circuits in the guard or cord aresevered.

8. The combination of a series of operaglasses arranged at distancesapart, an electric indicator common to all of the operaglasses, abranching electric circuit leading from the indicator to all of theopera-glasses and including a source of electric energy, and a separatereturn-circuit leading from each opera-glass to the indicator, wherebyeach opera-glass has its own complete circuit.

9. The combination of 'a series of coin-actuated boxes, a correspondingseries of electromagnets of an indicating apparatus, a pair ofopera-glasses for each box and connected thereto by a flexible loopedelectric conductor, a circuit including one terminal of all of theelectro-magnets and one terminal of all of the looped conductors, asource of electric energy for said circuit, a series of separatecircuits connecting the other terminals of the looped conductors withthe other terminals of the corresponding electro-magnets, andindicating-armatures for said electro-magnets' 10. The combination of aseries of coin-actuated boxes, a corresponding series of-electromagnetsof an indicating apparatus, a pairof opera-glasses for each box andconnected thereto by a flexible looped electric conductor, a circuitincluding one terminal of all of the electro-magnets and one terminal ofall of the looped conductors, a source of electric energ Y for saidcircuit, a series of separate circuits ICO IIO

loop of the conductors of the electric guard, and an electric indicatorelectrically connected to the fixed ends of the conductors, actu- 15ated by the current in the conductors of the electric guard.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM J. HOWEY.

. Witnesses:

Z. S. HOLBROOK, F. A HOLBROOK.

